WORLD PREMIERE
PERFORMANCE OF 5 DRAMATIC PIECES FOR 8
WAGNER TUBAS BY ENGLISH COMPOSER ANDREW DOWNES, PLAYED BY THE HORNISTS OF
THE CZECH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA IN THE DVORAK HALL, RUDOLFINUM, PRAGUE ON
OCTOBER 18th 2005

The World Premiere of Andrew Downes’ 5 dramatických částí pro 8 Wagnerových tub opus 80 (5 Dramatic Pieces
for 8 Wagner Tubas) commissioned by the hornists of the Czech Philharmonic
Orchestra, was given on Tuesday October 18th at the Dvorak Hall,
Rudolfinum, Prague, in the Czech Republic. The new work was played as the first
item in the second half of the concert, the interval giving the players the
opportunity to adjust their embouchures from horn to Wagner Tuba.

The work is in five movements: Prelude (Úvod), Dawn of Love (Úsvit lásky), New Life (Nový život),
Meditation (Hloubání-rozjimáni), Jubilate: O be Joyful (Vesele,rodostnĕ,jásavĕ).

Prelude begins
quietly, but builds to two exciting crescendos.
The monumental chords could almost be seen rising to the roof in the
wonderful acoustic of the Dvorak Hall.

Dawn of Love starts
with a rising motif with a quiet, pulsating accompaniment, and builds to
climaxes of dramatic intensity and emotion.

New Life is a
bubbling, buoyant movement, suggestive, perhaps, of a baby bouncing up and down
on its parent’s lap. This is interspersed by two quiet, reflective and profound
passages.

In Meditation each
instrument in turn, accompanied by the others, has its voice. The movement is also characterised by chordal
passages reminiscent of a choir singing antiphonally in Renaissance-like
polyphony.

Jubilate: O be Joyful is
rhythmically and emotionally charged throughout. Intermittent bursts of joyous
music finally dominate and end the movement.

The performance by the Czech Philharmonic Hornists was outstanding. Their sense of ensemble, immaculate
intonation and velvet tone were truly remarkable. The audience gave the
performance a long and enthusiastic ovation and many compliments. A number of
people on the day following the performance said they had been unable to sleep because
of excitement! The players were
obviously very taken with the work, and hopefully will record it for Czech
Radio.